I gag at the first sip, but gulp it as fast as I can. “Fuck, it tastes worse than it smells. When did you even have the time to brew this atrocity and get the ingredients for it?”
“I told Kaiden what I needed. In less than half an hour, someone had already dropped off everything I asked for, even the rare bloodroot growing only at the highest peak in the Sacred Valley in Peru. I’ve been trying to find a supplier for this damn root for a fucking year, and he got it in twenty minutes.”
Considering his cleaning obsession, I can’t believe Kaiden allowed Sam to use his kitchen. She always leaves a disaster behind. I shudder in revulsion as I place the glass back on the nightstand before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Where’s the body?”
“I don’t know…Kaiden took care of it.”
“What day is it? Did I lose a lot of time?” Warmth pools in my belly as the disgusting potion starts working its magic. The headache immediately dulls while the white-hot pain pulsing in the side of my face becomes a distant throb.
“It’s still Sunday.”
I sigh in relief. “That’s good. I’m working tomorrow night.”
Sam sucks on her teeth. “Are you fucking kidding me rightnow? You need to heal. I’ll strap you to this bed myself.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You know this job is all I have,” I huff.
She throws me an icy glare. “You also have me. And I don’t appreciate you dying. You almost got killed three times in the span of two and a half months. That’s beyond insane.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest. “And how do you plan to go back to the Order and face Grayson? You killed his grandson.”
I flinch. “I don’t know, but I can’t quit. You know how much this job means to me. Besides, don’t you think it’s going to look weird if Erik disappears and I take time off at the same time? Plus, if I quit, there’s no going back. When you leave the Order, you leave for good.”
She purses her lips in annoyance. “Maybe you’re right, but I still don’t like you being in danger. I swear my heart stopped for a full minute this morning.”
I drop my gaze to the floor briefly, because I can’t even imagine what she went through from the moment she found me, then take her hand in mine. “I understand you worry about me, but I could get killed in a demon fight every day. It comes with the job.”
“Yeah, but this is different,” she says, exasperated, before pulling back.
“I know.” I fold my lower lip between my teeth to gnaw on it.
Kaiden clears his throat from the threshold. “The bath is ready,” he says before turning around on his heel and stalking back into the bathroom.
“I think that’s my cue to leave.” Sam stands up from the bed to pick up her strappy, high-heeled sandals from the floor. “Do you want me to stay? Or maybe you want to go home? But I don’t think you should move that much yet.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m okay here.”
“That’s what I figured.” A wry grin tugs at her mouth. Then her eyebrows drop in a frown. “By the way, Noah’s been blowing upyour phone.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I say, “Fuck. I texted him last night and told him he can take me out for dinner.”
“You did that after you saw that Maeve bitch make herself at home in Kaiden’s lap, right?”
I cringe hard and nod. My best friend knows me well. Now, I regret the hasty decision—not only because I was using Noah, and it wouldn’t have been fair to do that to him, but also because Kaiden proved he only has eyes for me with those two earth-shattering orgasms in his office.
“I sent him a text pretending to be you, told him we went out, and that you got shit-faced and you’re hungover as fuck. He called a few times, but I didn’t answer; I sent him another text instead, saying you’ll call him tomorrow. I also texted your aunt the same excuse since you were supposed to help her move those boxes from her basement this morning.”
“Ah, shit. I completely forgot about that. I’ll call her to reschedule. Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.”
She comes to my side of the bed, kisses my forehead. “I wouldn’t leave, but I know you’re in good hands.” She winks at me. “There’s some more of the healing potion in the fridge. Please drink it all.”
I nod. “I’ll call you.”
“’Kay. Love you,” Sam shoots back over her shoulder as she sashays out of the bedroom.
“Love you too,” I say to her disappearing back.
2
Iris
